Where Am I?

Oh, No! I've Been Thinking.....Again ~ !

Saturday, while at Nela MQG, aka Northeast Louisiana Modern Quilt Guild, I led a mini workshop on how I stitch up the Noodlehead designed wide-mouth zippered pouches. On learning that one of the participants wanted to make five pouches for Christmas gifts, I shared with the group that when I had more than one to make, then I made an assembly line out of the process. In other words, for all five I would

gather and cut all fabrics and find a zipper for each pouch

attach zipper foot to sewing machine and sew in all zippers

attach regular sewing foot and sew around the perimeter of each pouch, leaving a hole for turning

box each corner of each pouch

turn all pouches

sew turning hole in lining of each pouch

press, press, press, press, press

top stitch around top of pouch

attach zipper pull

Yesterday, having nada much to do, I gathered, cut, zippered, boxed, turned and pressed all. What's more, step #8 and #9 has been completed on three of these nine.

It's when I lined up all the pouches for a photo opportunity that I started thinking. How does one line up a number of items to get the best shot? I tried this and then tried that and hold on a minute....it hit me: When they are staggered with aisle-space in the middle, I could see more of each pouch in my display.

And then it hit me again......quilt shows ~ The ones that give me the most pleasurable viewing are the ones that are open, airy and light. When I walk into a quilt show door, I don't want to walk into a black hole. I want to stand for a moment and look into the room and see quilts, lots of quilts. I don't have to see the particulars of each quilt at this glance, but simply want to enjoy a snippet of many quilts. It's the placement and staggering and opening up of the area that gives me the best feeling about a quilt show and seeing the wonder of all those quilts on display.

Just a few arrangements that didn't seem to work for me:

The straight and narrow view.....very limiting visually

Chaotic, closed in, claustrophobic placement....the dark hole with no way out

Yes! The open, airy feeling I wanted to achieve

When the viewing pleasure if over, it's okay to say goodbye, farewell and amen